Food · Palm Springs · United States
What to eat in Palm Springs
The dishes, drinks and food experiences that define Palm Springs, and where locals actually eat them.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Pictured: Chilaquiles · Photo: Chris Woodrich, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Start with Date shake, Medjool and Deglet Noor dates and Tacos and Mexican plates. Date gardens around Indio have shops, short walks under the palms and tastings of several varieties; Shields Date Garden also screens a long-running film about the date's history. Book dinner ahead from January to April, and especially during Modernism Week, the film festival and the Coachella weekends.
Key facts
- Signature dish
- Date shake
- Vegetarian-friendly picks
- 6
- Tipping
- Tipping is expected: about 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, a dollar or two per drink at…
- Food experiences
- 3
Plan a trip to Palm Springs
Compare flights, places to stay and rental cars, then book with the provider you choose.
9 foods to try
Drink · Vegetarian
1.Date shake
Blended dates, vanilla ice cream and milk make a thick, caramel-sweet shake that has been the Coachella Valley's signature treat since the early 20th century, when date palms were planted around Indio.
Where: Shields Date Garden in Indio has served them since the 1920s; Hadley Fruit Orchards in Cabazon is a classic stop on the drive in from Los Angeles.
Snack · Vegetarian
2.Medjool and Deglet Noor dates
Most US dates are grown in the Coachella Valley. Medjools are large, soft and toffee-like; Deglet Noors are firmer and less sweet. Farm shops sell many rarer varieties for tasting.
Where: Date farm shops around Indio and Thermal, and seasonal stalls at the Riverside County Fair and National Date Festival.
Street food
3.Tacos and Mexican plates
The valley has a large Mexican-American community, and taquerías serve carne asada, al pastor and fish tacos alongside burritos and tortas. Many places make tortillas in-house.
Where: Family-run taquerías along Indian Canyon Drive and in Cathedral City, Coachella and Indio, which have some of the most traditional cooking.
Dish
4.Tamales
Masa wrapped in corn husks and steamed with pork in red chile, chicken in green salsa or cheese with jalapeño. They are a holiday-season tradition across the valley's Mexican-American families.
Where: Mexican bakeries and restaurants valley-wide, and the Indio International Tamale Festival, usually held in early December.
Breakfast · Vegetarian
5.Chilaquiles
Fried tortilla chips simmered in red or green salsa and topped with eggs, crema and cheese, a standard on Palm Springs brunch menus and in Mexican breakfast cafés.
Where: Brunch spots downtown and on North Palm Canyon Drive, and Mexican cafés across the valley.
Breakfast · Vegetarian
6.Weekend brunch
Brunch is a Palm Springs ritual, especially at weekends: long patio meals with eggs Benedict, avocado toast and mimosas, often with misters running and the mountains in view.
Where: Restaurants and hotel patios downtown and in the Uptown Design District; expect queues on Saturdays and Sundays in high season.
Dish
7.Deli pastrami and rye
Palm Springs has long attracted winter visitors from New York and Chicago, and its delis serve towering pastrami and corned beef sandwiches, matzo ball soup and large cakes.
Where: Sherman's Deli and Bakery, open since the 1960s, has branches in Palm Springs and Palm Desert.
Drink · Vegetarian
8.Margaritas and poolside cocktails
Margaritas, palomas and frozen cocktails are the default afternoon drink by the pool, and many hotel bars use local citrus and prickly pear syrups in house specials.
Where: Hotel pool bars and rooftop bars downtown, and cocktail bars along Palm Canyon Drive.
Snack · Vegetarian
9.Desert citrus
Grapefruit, lemons and oranges grow in Coachella Valley groves and back gardens; in winter they turn up in juices, salads and cocktails across town.
Where: Farmers' markets in the valley and farm stands along the roads around Thermal and Coachella in winter.
Travelling around United States? What to eat in United States covers the dishes to try in each of our 44 destinations there.
Food experiences
Date garden visit
Date gardens around Indio have shops, short walks under the palms and tastings of several varieties; Shields Date Garden also screens a long-running film about the date's history.
VillageFest grazing
Thursday evenings on Palm Canyon Drive, the street fair has food trucks, kettle corn, baked goods and produce stalls, making it an easy and inexpensive dinner.
Happy hour on a patio
Many Palm Springs restaurants run early-evening happy hours with discounted drinks and small plates; it is the local way to catch the sunset over the San Jacinto Mountains.
Quick bites and street food
- Medjool and Deglet Noor dates — Date farm shops around Indio and Thermal, and seasonal stalls at the Riverside County Fair and National Date Festival.
- Tacos and Mexican plates — Family-run taquerías along Indian Canyon Drive and in Cathedral City, Coachella and Indio, which have some of the most traditional cooking.
- Chilaquiles — Brunch spots downtown and on North Palm Canyon Drive, and Mexican cafés across the valley.
- Weekend brunch — Restaurants and hotel patios downtown and in the Uptown Design District; expect queues on Saturdays and Sundays in high season.
- Desert citrus — Farmers' markets in the valley and farm stands along the roads around Thermal and Coachella in winter.
Vegetarian options
Of the 9 foods in this guide, 6 are usually vegetarian: Date shake, Medjool and Deglet Noor dates, Chilaquiles, Weekend brunch, Margaritas and poolside cocktails and Desert citrus. Check preparation with staff, as stocks and fats vary.
Eating out: tips and etiquette
- Book dinner ahead from January to April, and especially during Modernism Week, the film festival and the Coachella weekends.
- Many restaurants reduce their hours or close for a few weeks in the hottest summer months; check before driving out.
- Patio dining is the norm; in summer, choose places with misters and shade, and in winter bring a layer, as evenings cool quickly.
- Some of the most traditional Mexican cooking is in Cathedral City, Coachella and Indio rather than downtown Palm Springs.
Tipping
Tipping is expected: about 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, a dollar or two per drink at bars, a few dollars a day for housekeeping and 15–20% for taxis and rideshares. Check whether a hotel resort fee or restaurant service charge is already added.
Questions travellers ask
+What food is Palm Springs famous for?
Date shake, Medjool and Deglet Noor dates, Tacos and Mexican plates and Tamales. Blended dates, vanilla ice cream and milk make a thick, caramel-sweet shake that has been the Coachella Valley's signature treat since the early 20th century, when date palms were planted around Indio.
+Is Palm Springs good for vegetarians?
Several local staples are meat-free, including Date shake, Medjool and Deglet Noor dates and Chilaquiles.
+Do you tip in restaurants in Palm Springs?
Tipping is expected: about 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, a dollar or two per drink at bars, a few dollars a day for housekeeping and 15–20% for taxis and rideshares. Check whether a hotel resort fee or restaurant service charge is already added.